The good news is that you can do a lot to protect yourself and your family from skin cancer, or to catch it early enough so that it can be treated effectively. Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. Much of this exposure comes from the sun, but some may come from man-made sources, such as indoor tanning lamps.
Finding possible skin cancers doesn't require any x-rays or blood tests -- just your eyes and a mirror. If skin cancer does develop, finding it early is the best way to ensure it can be treated effectively.
The most common early warning sign of skin cancer is a change on the skin, especially a new growth or a sore that doesn't heal. Skin cancer symptoms don't all look the same. For example, the cancer may start as a small, smooth, shiny, pale, or waxy lump. Or it can appear as a firm red lump. Sometimes, the lump bleeds or develops a crust. Skin cancer can also start as a flat, red spot that is rough, dry, or scaly.
There are 2 main types of skin cancers: keratinocyte cancers (basal and squamous cell skin cancers) and melanomas.
Basal and squamous cell skin cancers are the most common cancers of the skin. They develop from cells called keratinocytes, the most common cells in the skin.
Melanomas are cancers that develop from melanocytes, the cells that make the brown pigment that gives skin its color. Melanocytes can also form benign (non-cancerous) growths called moles.
There are several other types of skin cancers as well, but these are much less common.
It is important for doctors to tell these types of skin cancer apart, because they are treated differently. It is also important for you to know what melanomas and basal and squamous cell skin cancers look like. That way, you can find them at the earliest possible stage, when they are cured most easily.
These cancers (especially basal cell cancers) rarely spread elsewhere in the body and are much less likely than melanomas to be fatal. Still, it is important to recognize them. If left untreated, they can grow quite large and invade into nearby tissues, causing scarring, disfigurement, or even loss of function in some parts of the body.
